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Cancer Control Research

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is no other disease or condition that occurs as frequently as localized prostate cancer (LPC) and that also has such a variety of treatments and so much uncertainty in the potential outcomes. Doctors, nurses and social scientists have not developed, comprehensively studied, or provided evidence-based interventions to facilitate the insight, personally relevant prioritizing, and decision-making that is required of a man with a diagnosis of (LPC). Computerized decision-support aids that exist for patients' treatment decision-making assess medical factors that are considered relevant by physicians: how the tumor appears under the microscope, other diseases the patient has and his expected longevity (years until he dies). There is a growing body of evidence that men with LPC conduct the decision making process by considering their personal characteristics and factors (for example, their occupation or who they know who has had cancer) which may be much more influential than any medical factor. The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a personal, tailored, Internet decision-support system that will prepare a man to engage in the challenging and often stressful decision-making process for the management of LPC. Specifically, we will develop and pilot test a secure customized, Internet decision-support program, Personal Patient Profile Prostate (P4). After the programming is complete and the innovative web-based intervention is created, we will pilot test the program in 20 men with localized prostate cancer.